stc Bank vs Rakuten Bank.
stc Bank (s76/100) and Rakuten Bank (R70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. stc Bank leads Rakuten Bank 3-2.
| R Rakuten Bank №33 · JFSA 70 /100 | s stc Bank №17 · SAMA 76 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 70 /100 | 76 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | 1.50% |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank JFSA | Full bank SAMA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | €200,000 SA.SAMA-DPS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | No |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.5 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
Pick stc Bank if…
First SAMA-licensed digital full bank in Saudi Arabia (received bank licence 2023, originally launched as stc pay in 2017). Backed by Saudi Telecom (stc) — telecom-grade reach across the Kingdom. Multi-currency support and instant onboarding via Absher distinguish it from legacy KSA banks. SAMA Deposit Protection Fund cover.
- Best for fees Rakuten Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection stc Bank won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Rakuten Bank won 1 of 3
- Best for ux stc Bank won 1 of 2
stc Bank vs Rakuten Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Rakuten Bank better than stc Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, stc Bank leads Rakuten Bank 3–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Rakuten Bank 70/100 vs stc Bank 76/100. stc Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Rakuten Bank or stc Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Rakuten Bank: €0; stc Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Rakuten Bank: Interbank; stc Bank: 1.50%. Rakuten Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Rakuten Bank or stc Bank?
Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. stc Bank holds a Full bank licence under SAMA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €200,000. stc Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Rakuten Bank and stc Bank?
Rakuten Bank operates in 1 country; stc Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.